The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-10-20
THE MOSQUITO.
AS HE'S FOUND IN GRINNELL
SWAMP,
A Graphic Narrative of Famous Trag-
edies in Which These Birds of Prey
are Actors.
Wilmington Messenger. ]


Long-suffering mankind has ever
been subject to the fierce encroach-
ments of the gore-loving mosquito.
"What's his name and where's his
home can be told easily. Lexico-
graphers have handled him, and,
doubtless, he them.
His family name is CuIes, but the
subject of this lucubration has sport
ed" and bobbed up serenely at charge
proboscis with painful punctuality
every time. His batronymic has been
familiarly treated by spoilers, but he
does not seem to care SO long as
snore calls him to supper.
His surname is spelt variously Mos
quito, Musquito and Musketo Culex.
Musk-eater might be added with polgn-
ant significance and obvious appo-
siteness.
His aggressive activity begins early
IN life, SO soon as cast out of the pa
rental wi igwam and grows with his
growth and strengthens with his
strength. His cussedness is innate
and inherited. He is born with war
paint on and tomahawk whetted.
Each generation springs out more
teroclous than the immediate prede-
cessor and the generations average
two and two-tenths minute.
Each age of man claims to raise the
best and finest phlebotomizers, but the
Grlnnel swamp specimen takes the
contectioner, takes the baker, gathers
the Office boy, and makes a swipe at
the black and tan grabbing at rats in
the corner.
He's daisy with a pink eye.
Grinnell swamp is vast area of
mud and muck in Pitt county, near
Bethel. A Bethel black man, with axe,
dog and torch, pursued coons therein
last week. The pursuit of coons was
in vain; Of potatoes successful to
degree that filled his soul and his
stomach. After his third day out, his
dear Dinah and children, whose souls
had been yearning for stewed coon,
began to grow anxious, and a search
warrant, with corners inquest hitched
to it, issued forth in quest OF the much
missed Sambo.
1t found him on dry place in the
swamp. Three mosquitoes with ele-
phantine abdominal development were
sitting cross-legged near by. guarding
the carcass of poor loved and lost
Sambo. A fourth was at Sombo'
ash pile, having exhausted the succu-
lent juices of Sam, this fellow who
hadn't got enough, was holding one
of Sans roasted potatoes up between
his fore paws or claws and was lazily
+ browsing thereon. The man was suck
ed dry, but it took several athletic
t showers of lightwood knots before tht
ROSTERS limped with over-much adj
posity defantly into the thicket.
There is a Bethelian tradition tina
two of these birds of prey took each
an arm of small boy in the earl,
part of this century and escorted th'
urchin into the depths of the swami
there to fatten on his bones at swee
leisure and hush. The boys erie
! were stihed by their death dirge ST
r. familiar to Wilmingtonian ears.
These specifications might he multi
+ piled and many in future column
but it is all digretsion.
n Why, an account is before the write
a now, how Grinnell swampcr convey
# ed half grown porker into the fast
= nesses, by straddlIng the pig, carr
: log fashion, and just going right alon
4 over logs and through tangled fenes
! where the serpent feeds" to the hom
: of his youth and the abode ofhis family
AS lawyers may be disbarred, S
4 has the attempt been made on tn
& ever active skeeter, as he is calle
4 where he most largely turks. The re
4 suit has been, in the main abortivt
4 A gauze canopy has been reared wit
! sedulous care above and around tn
~ couch where the victim is alleged
"a repose. The culex is an assassin an
- takes the hours of darkness in whic
,f to run his dagger home. Ifan aperture
: however small, be left, all attempts t
\ keep out the intruder is fruitless. III
canopy erected, how to get under it
n the question.
h The light is blown out; the victil
~ feels down to get under the bottom
\ holding the net off with one hant
70 After he has swept up the potent an
81 latent dust generously left for the pu
at pose under the edge of the bed by tt
n thoughtful chambermaid, he careful
rises from his recumbent posture an
finds the clinging net lodged on IL
lg summit of his off ear. Down he 60
ID again and comes up with face to Il
IL bed, SO as to be sure of his ears. II
he pesky net has risen equal to the eme
es gency and crawled up his back.
t- Down again, pulling the clingir
drapery back snug and nice. By ct